Pranking the Years Along The Marauders' Tale
by charcoal711
Summary: [“One of my lifelong dreams has always been to walk into a cow…I’m Sirius by the way,” the boy shot back. “You’re serious? Poor cow…eh, anyway, I’m James. Who’re you?” James said. For some reason, the boy was now staring at him and laughing.] R & R!
1. The Letters

**A/N: Hi, this is a story I started with my friend a while back, but it got left behind for awhile. Anyway, I found it and am continuing it now! Please tell me what you think! Read and enjoy.**

** Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Marauders or the Harry Potter content. All that belongs to the wonderful genius J.K Rowling!

**Chapter 1 The Letters**

A young boy bounced into the kitchen of his cottage, holding something in his hand and fairly flew up to his mother. "Look, Mum!" James cried out, eagerly ripping open a cream coloured envelope clutched in his hand. His hazel eyes scanned over the green emblem on the back, a large H surrounded by a snake, badger, eagle and lion before he pulled out the thick wad of parchment and read:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Flipping over to the next page, he then looked up at his mother expectantly.

"So, can I go send my owl?" he enquired, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Of course, dear. I'm so glad you've been accepted! Your Dad will be so proud!" she responded, beaming down at her son as he ran his fingers through his mop of messy raven coloured hair. James smiled as he jumped off his chair and took the stairs three at a time.

* * *

A small boy frowned as he sat in a cushioned green armchair, silver snakes sculpted on the arms. The cause of the frown was a thick envelope he has just received by owl. He ran his fingers over the wax-sealed crest symbolizing Hogwarts. His thoughts drifted to the conversation he had overheard between his parents, days earlier, his mother attempting to convince his father to send him to Durmstrang. Sirius didn't know a whole lot about the differences in the schools, but he had secretly thought Hogwarts sounded better. 

_My problem, _he sighed_, is my stupid parents and their stupid opinions. I don't see how this Dark Lord is so impressive. I mean, shouldn't everyone have the same rights within the wizarding world? Muggle-borns can't be _that_ bad can they?_

Still pondering this anxiously, he pulled out the sheaf and read the letter through quickly, worrying about his mother's reaction. He would have to tell her soon, he supposed. He definitely wanted to go; there was no question about that. He sighed once more as his little brother, Regulus, came dashing into the room and, seeing Sirius, rushed up to him.

"Hey, what's that? Look Mummy! Siri got a letter!" Regulus shouted as his mother followed close behind.

"What is it Regulus? Let me see that Sirius!" she said, in an almost reprimanding tone.

_Oh well, I guess that saves me the words_, Sirius thought wryly. He reluctantly got up and handed over the envelope, glaring harshly at Regulus on the way. He and his brother had never gotten along at the best of times, and Regulus was undoubtedly the favourite and the perfect son in his parents' eyes. Reaching up, Sirius swept a lock of jet-black hair out of his eyes, watching his mother apprehensively as her eyes started to narrow and her lips pursed.

"We'll have to talk to your father about this, Sirius."

"I can go, can't I? Please, I really want to. I know you want me to go to Durmstrang, but honestly, Dad went to Hogwarts and you married him, so it can't be all that bad, right?" Sirius said this in a rush, hoping to stun his mother into agreement.

His mother frowned, and replied, "You're father did not go to Hogwarts out of choice. His own foolish parents had an old grudge with the Headmaster of Durmstrang. Hogwarts was an insult to the Black blood, but alas, we shall not make the same mistake again!"

Sirius took a deep breath, hoping his mother was not about to start spouting one of her notorious speeches about the importance of "Black blood". He attempted to head her off early.

"Mum, I'm going to Hogwarts! It can't be that different to Durmstrang. You act like it will poison the Black blood when it's just a slightly different school! I can still go to Hogwarts and uphold the Black honour!" Sirius shot back bitterly. No matter how much he had to pretend to care about his royal line, he was determined to go. He rose up to his full height, hoping to make an impression.

His mother looked like she was going to snap back, but instead, seeing her husband stamp inside, seeking the cause of the noise which was interrupting his work, she nodded curtly.

"You'd better be in Slytherin though, for your own good." She turned on her heels and left the room quickly.

Sirius, heart still beating rapidly, smiled broadly, almost disbelieving at his luck and rushed up to get his owl. It was not only that he was looking forward to school – Hogwarts would provide an escape from his family, freedom from the never-ending lectures he received about dark magic, the end of the constant arguments between Sirius and the rest of his family. There would be no more favouring of Regulus right in front of him; for the first time in his life Sirius would have the opportunity to make his own choices and express his own views, make friends with whomever _he _wanted and not whom his parents wanted. Yes, September 1st would be one of the best days of his life, he decided while tying the note to his owl. Hogwarts would definitely be the school for him, he just knew it.

* * *

Peter jumped up and down in excitement, silly joy plastered on his face. His pudgy hand closed around the familiar parchment, and he raced to find his mother. 

"Mum, Mum, Mum! I got in, I really got in! I got in to Hogwarts! Can I go, please, can I go?"

Rosa smiled happily at Peter. Her little boy was growing up so fast! Secretly, she was relieved he wasn't, as she and her husband had feared, a squib. But she quashed that thought quickly. She really shouldn't have thought such things of her son. Bringing her mind back to the situation at hand, she answered Peter.

"Congratulations dear! Maybe you'll be a Hufflepuff like I was! I'm so happy for you. Now run along there and get your owl and we'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, how about that? You'll just love your new wand!" And clasping her hands around Peter's shoulders, she squeezed briefly before kissing him on the cheek and sending him on his way, shaking her head at his enthusiasm as he scrambled out of the kitchen.

Peter stared once more at the letter in his hands before writing a reply and tying it to his owl. He couldn't believe it! He was a wizard, he was going to Hogwarts! He tried to imagine the school, and wondered who his friends would be. It would be just marvelous! And, mind filled with wonderful visions, he sank back onto his pillow and slipped into a dream-filled slumber.

* * *

Remus sat next to his parents on the beige leather sofa, nervously waiting for their visitor to arrive. He had heard so much about Dumbledore, but would he really be nice to enough to let _him, Remus, _into Hogwarts? He couldn't imagine anyone who would let him in without any suspicions whatsoever. Yet, according to his parents, here was a man who apparently wanted to discuss the option. Remus wondered if Dumbledore was insane. But his thoughts were interrupted suddenly by a soft _pop_ as a tall figure appeared in the doorway, a long white beard hanging down to his waist and half-moon glasses perched on a long crooked nose, framing twinkling blue eyes which were crinkled at the edges. Remus immediately sat up straighter, worry still etched in his face, but he smiled politely all the same. Good first impressions were very important, his father had told him. As he looked over the tall man, Remus felt a spark of hope grow inside him, but he quelled it immediately – it would not do to get his hopes up too soon. After all, how many other times had he allowed himself to be hopeful, only to be thoroughly let down in the end? Just then, Dumbledore spoke. 

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, Remus. I have been looking so forward to meeting you. I trust everything is well here?" Dumbledore greeted them warmly and smiled down at Remus as he spoke.

"Thank you so very much for coming, Professor Dumbledore. It means such a lot to us, to Remus, that you are willing to consider this." Remus' father stood up and shook Dumbledore's hand politely, inviting him to sit down. Dumbledore settled himself into an old wooden rocker opposite the sofa and then looked up at them once more.

"It is my pleasure. All children who want to learn should have the opportunity, and I am by no means one to hold against that. In fact, I have already conversed with the school nurse, Poppy Pomfrey and come up with a perfectly legitimate plan. As long as you, and Remus of course, agree to it, you should consider your son already a student of Hogwarts." Dumbledore winked at Remus as he said this, and Remus felt hopeful once more, and this time allowed the feeling to flow through him. Had he really just heard correctly? He was going to be able to go to Hogwarts? Remus could hardly believe it. He shook his head slightly and turned his attention back to the Headmaster, who was still speaking.

"…bought a Whomping Willow, which has been planted just inside the school grounds. A tunnel leads from under into a large shack located in the village of Hogsmeade not far from the school. This shack is completely inaccessible except from the tunnel entrance, which emerges through a trapdoor on the bottom floor. The tree on the other end meanwhile, prevents anyone from entering the tunnel, unless of course, they know the key to freezing the thrashing branches. Madam Pomfrey shall be able to sneak Remus down to the tunnel at the appropriate time every month to the shack in which he can transform in a safe environment completely isolated from harm's way. In the morning, she will return to collect him and transport him back to the hospital wing. A fools' proof plan. You shall, of course, be treated to a tour of the area before term starts."

Dumbledore then stood up and turned to Remus. He reached into the front pocket of his robes and extracted a slightly crumpled letter, which he handed to the young boy. Remus stretched out a trembling hand and gratefully accepted it. Slitting it open intriguingly, his eyes lit up as he surveyed the envelope's contents. He read over the "You have been accepted at Hogwarts School" bit several times, his mouth turning up in a jovial grin. A feeling of elation swept through the new wizard, and he regarded Dumbledore with true respect and gratitude as he noticed the older man watching him.

"Does this mean – am I really…I'm going to learn magic? Th-thank you!" Remus stuttered, gob smacked and still in a slight state of shock. Nevertheless, Remus felt the happiest he had felt in a long time, since before that memorable night when he had wandered too far into the woods behind the house. He looked from his parents to Dumbledore to the letter and back again, not knowing what to say. Was this really happening to _him_? It was unheard of for a werewolf to go to school. And he was going! Ecstatic, he drifted away into pleasant thoughts as his parents continued to discuss further details with Dumbledore.

**A/N: Hope you liked that chapter! I'll update soon, if people read and review! I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts!**


	2. MaraudersToBe In Diagon Alley

**A/N: Okay, here it is, chapter 2! I really enjoyed writing this one, so I hope you like reading it!  
**

**Chapter 2 - Diagon Alley**

James raced ahead eagerly, glancing at the shops as he passed them. He knew he had to get all his school things, but he couldn't help answering the tantalising call of the one shop he was most looking forward to – the broom shop. Shining in its window was the latest new version, the Silver Arrow 3. It outdated the Cleansweep fives by several notches. It accelerated twice as fast, and had much better manoeuvrability. The Silver Arrow 3 halved the breaking speed of any of the Cleansweeps and its handle was of smooth mahogany, twigs shaped into a neat, streamlined bundle at the end.

James stared at it in awe, along with a group of five other girls and boys, until his parents caught up and dragged him away, smiling slightly at his enthusiasm.  
"Mum, can't I get it, pleeeaase? I promise I'll take extra good care of it!" he pleaded.  
"Now, now dear, you know first years aren't allowed. Maybe next year," His mother replied gently.  
James shrugged. "Worth a try…"

A few hours later, laden with an armful of books and his very own wand, his new Great Horned Owl flying above him, James wandered along happily. Only one stop left he knew he couldn't miss – Diagon Alley's eccentric joke shop – oh, the advantages of being a wizard. Entering the gold tinted black door, he expertly dodged the cascade of water which fell on all those who entered, but in his pride, fell straight into the next trap – literally. Then, to add insult to injury, a pair of rabbit's ears sprouted from James' head. Looking up in surprise, he saw a wizened old wizard laughing at him from up above the hole, and reached a hand down to help him out. James laughed too, brushed himself off and turned to the man, who spoke in a cheery voice.

"Well there young lad! Look's like you've gotten yourself into a spot of bother! Let me help you out!" the man greeted him with a wink.   
James thanked him and was about to introduce himself when there came a loud bang from behind him. He turned once more to see a young boy around his age lying on the ground, dazed. James clapped his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing – the boy had bumped into the rear end of a large cow which was now blocking the entry corridor. It mooed indignantly, at the same time letting out a similar sound from its other end. James supposed the tricks changed for every person – after all, what use was a predictable joke shop? The boy let out a loud, "Oy!", then with a sudden bang, the cow disappeared, leaving the boy sitting on the floor with a very shocked face. In a second, though, the boy started to grin and James walked over to him.

"You seem to have bumped into a dead end, mate! Want a hoof – oops, I mean hand?" He smiled broadly and helped him up, looking him over as he did so. The boy had shoulder-length black hair, grey eyes and a confident, carefree look about him. He and James were about the same height, and the other boy's eyes were sparkling mischievously.

"Yeah, one of my life-long dreams has always been to walk into a cow…I'm Sirius by the way," the boy shot back.  
"You're serious? Poor cow…eh, anyway, I'm James. Who're you?" James said. For some reason, the boy was now staring at him and laughing.  
"What?" James demanded.  
"N-nothing," Sirius replied, obviously attempting to keep a straight face. He then continued.  
"Anyway, you misunderstood…my name is Sirius!" Sirius responded, back to a serious tone.  
"Oh! Sorry 'bout that! Nice to meet you…seriously!" James cracked up laughing, thinking that the boy in front of him had been very inappropriately named – either that, or his parents were particularly fond of irony. Sirius looked at him slightly uncertainly at first, but then joined in. Catching his breath, he was finally able to speak again.  
"So wanna look around?"  
"Certainly!" James agreed and the two boys made their way further into the shop's depths, happily filling their pockets with Dungbombs and other school 'necessities'. The shop keeper chuckled to himself as he watched them disappear, now just two outlines, with a rather queer pair of ears sticking up above the first boy's head.

* * *

Peter pulled his mother along by her hand, eager to get to every shop in the street. He was amazed at the variety of stores – you could get anything and everything here! He already knew without a doubt which shop would be his favourite. It was the very first shop which had caught his eye, a large sweet shop with the best magical sweets you had ever seen! His mouth watered as he envisioned a large mound of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Fizzing Whizbees, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, triple scoop ice cream cones from Fortescue's, even the sweets in the Muggle Section of the store. A boy couldn't wish for much more – only one thing awaited Peter before he would be free to invade the sweet shop and start hording for his days at Hogwarts. This one thing was what Peter had been waiting for almost as much as the lollies – a magical wand. 

As he and his mother approached the wand shop, Peter read the name 'Ollivander's' across the top and, peering through the window, could see shelves upon shelves of boxes. Letting out a squeak of excitement and apprehension, Peter rushed towards the door and shoved it open, nearly falling over the step in his hurry. A bell rang as he entered and Peter jumped back in fright as an old man with frizzled grey hair on a ladder came whizzing round the nearest column of shelves, stopping the ladder directly in front of the boy. Peering down, the man (whom Peter assumed must be Mr. Ollivander himself) dropped down. Peter was about to say hello, when, instead, Mr. Ollivander put a finger to his lips.  
"_Shhh, shhh_, no need for introduction in here…I can see inside you. I think I know just the wand for you. Yes, yes, _just_ the wand…wait here please," he whispered and disappeared soundlessly into the maze of rows and stacks.

Peter stared, very startled and a little confused. How could Mr. Ollivander simply know the wand for him? He hadn't even been given a chance to state his preference of wood! Peter had always liked the shiny surface of a mahogany wand; he was hoping for one of those. He turned to his mother.  
"Mum, what kind of wand do you have?" Peter wondered why he had never thought to inquire this of her before.  
"Oh, birch wood and unicorn hair. Hmmm…how old these wands look…" Rosa replied rather absent-mindedly, currently perusing through a large chest in the corner of the shop. Peter pondered this new information. He didn't know his mother liked birch wood. He'd always thought cherry wood was her favourite – but why then, didn't she buy a wand made accordingly? Peter decided she must have changed her preference over the years.

Just then, Mr. Ollivander appeared again, this time holding a thin, grey box covered in dust. It had obviously been long buried somewhere at the back.  
"Here we are, here we are!" he said cheerfully, sliding off the lid and delicately lifting out the contents. He handed it to Peter and waited. Peter looked at the stick he was holding, baffled. This was a rowan wood wand and what's more, it was only about 8 inches long. Peter frowned and lifted his gaze back onto the wrinkled old face looking at him.  
"But – this isn't mahogany! I thought you said you could see inside me! And it's _short_. Could I please have a long, mahogany wand?" Peter quizzed in a polite voice. He watched and his face fell as Mr. Ollivander's mouth turned up into a grin and the man suddenly started laughing. It sent chills down Peter's spine – the man had a creepy, wheezy laugh that scared him. He didn't see what was so funny about a simple request!

"My dear boy, no, no. The wand chooses the wizard, you know, not the other way around. And this wand has clearly chosen you! The length, you will find, is in proportion to your height," Mr Ollivander began to recover and he pointed at the wand in Peter's hand. Peter's lips began to tremble and a blush spread over his cheeks as he looked down to see that, indeed, the wand was spurting little streams of gold glitter. Its meaning could not have been clearer. Peter, however, did not like being laughed at. It was not just this misunderstanding of wand shopping that was bothering him though. Mr Ollivander had practically said he was going to be short! Peter was indignant – he had always hoped to be quite tall, even though his family genes seemed to deny this fact. His face turned sulky as he realised the truth and his mother, coming to his rescue, took away the shop owner's attention, producing a handful of gold Galleons.

It didn't take long for Peter to recover. Though still a little disappointed in the length of his wand – wouldn't he be teased at school? – he was happy to be able to use a wand at all. Spirits rising as he saw the sweet shop in the distance, his step gained a little spring in it and he trotted off down the street, his mouth already watering.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Magical Menagerie, a small boy walked along with an expression of awe on his face. Cages of all types and sizes littered the floor and walls; cats ran free, owls flew in a large dome-like enclosure hanging in the air just under the ceiling, rats performed tricks through hoops and rings, toads croaked sullenly, and many other animals Remus did not recognise added to the cacophony of noise and bustle. While his parents went up to the counter to discuss the different types of pets one might hope to bring to Hogwarts, Remus wandered down the aisles, pausing every now and then as a cat darted out in front of him or an owl swooped low over his head. _I wonder what I should get_…_it certainly can't be a toad, and cats don't seem to trust me…no different to the humans really_, Remus thought with just a trace of sadness. He decided an owl might be useful, but for some reason, a bird didn't appeal to him all that much. Instead, he continued to search the halls, trusting that something would catch his eye eventually.

And sure enough, about 15 minutes later, Remus heard a soft _meow_ coming from behind a fluffy, rather noisy, curtain dancing in a corner. Creeping closer, he startled as the fluffy curtain turned out to be an estimated fifty owlets, soft white feathers moving rapidly in place as they all squawked and bickered excitedly, curious over some new discovery. Remus rushed forward, shooing the birds out of the way (with many hoots of protest) to find a small sandy coloured kitten sitting there, swatting playfully at one last remaining owlet. Upon seeing him, the small kitten hesitated, but then walked forward, tail proudly in the air. It stopped in front of him and, plonking down nearly on top of Remus' feet gave one introductory meow, after which it purred and promptly decided to take a nap right there. Astonished, the boy knelt down, lightly stroking the cat, and wondered why on earth a cat, of all creatures, should be the one to trust him and decide (for he could see no other way around it) to be his pet. Shaking his head, he picked up the still purring creature. The cat quickly resettled itself in his arms, perfectly content to be carried around.

Walking up to his parents, Remus quickly informed them of his decision.

"Mum, look! This cat wants to be my pet, can I buy her?"

His mother beamed back down at him, amused at his eagerness. She was glad to see her boy so excited about something for once; he deserved it, after all that he had gone through. It did amaze her slightly however, that this cat should choose Remus as an owner. Through previous experience, she had not known cats to be the most trusting of creatures towards her little wolf cub. Deciding to ask the shop owner for a possible reason later, she momentarily dismissed this thought and turned back to Remus, happy to be able to grant him this request.

"Of course Remus! Why don't you take her outside and head down to the sweetshop with your father? I'll take care of the financial side of things!"

Watching Remus as he quickly pranced out of the shop with his new ward, no doubt headed off the buy a life's supply of chocolate of all sorts, Lilah Lupin turned back to the shop owner to complete the transaction.

"Well ma'am, your son seems happy with his pet! Off to Hogwarts, I suppose?" the tiny man behind the counter said cheerfully.

"Yes, indeed and he's so looking forward to it! I must say, though, do you mind if I ask a question? I wonder as to that kitten that found him so genial. Cats have never particularly – er – gotten along with my son. It's not that he doesn't like them, they just seem to sense something in him…I don't know what it is," Lilah questioned, hoping she hadn't given too much away. But the shopkeeper simply looked at her wisely.

"Yes…you'll find that the kitten will be a loyal trusting pet for as long as he claims her as his own. That particularly cat was fathered by a Kneazle – I presume you know the particular characteristics of the Kneazle? No? Well, this is a creature of great natural instinct. It can sense personality better than most and has a natural apt for sensing out cruelty or darkness in a person. Here, I'll add this book complimentary to your purchase – wonderful book really, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_. The information on Kneazles is incredibly accurate and should enlighten you. Show it to your son as well, he is sure to enjoy it."

"Thank you very much, sir!" Lilah replied, thinking over this new information. It certainly explained the natural affinity between Remus and the kitten. Lilah was rather proud actually, that this cat had chosen to ignore the dark creature hidden inside and trust her son for who he really was. Smiling, she left the shop in search of her chocolate-loving cub and his new pet.

**A/N: Hope you liked the second chapter, please review!**


	3. To the First Year of Much Mischief!

**A/N: Thanks to my 1 reviewer, I'm so glad you like the story! Alright, so here's chapter 3, please more people review! Thanks, hope you like this. **

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* * *

Chapter 3 To the First Year of Much Mischief!**

Finally, after what seemed much waiting, the day came when the Hogwarts Express would be in Kings Cross, eagerly anticipating all the cheery students which would climb aboard its carriages for the school year. September 1st was a windy, rather rainy day, but nevertheless the students were as joyful and chatty as usual – after all, a little bad weather wouldn't hurt anyone! Four young boys in particular waited excitedly for the start of their magical education.

James rushed into the station, pulling his Mum through the barrier in a flurry. He couldn't wait to see the train and meet all his fellow classmates. However, there was one thing he wanted to do above all others – get to the school's Quidditch field and start flying. Growing up in an all magical, highly Quidditch-oriented family, James had been practicing since he was a small child, though of course the Ministry had limitations on broomsticks for children under school age. Now that these were to be lifted, he would be able to go higher than ever and try out a much larger variety of moves. Just this summer he had been straining on his broom, trying to see if he could break through the height and speed barrier on it. Despite all his best efforts though, the broom remained steadfastly stubborn. _Won't matter now,_ James thought excitedly,_ the moment I get to Hogwarts I'm on that Quidditch field! I hope I can get into a school team – I'll do whatever it takes!_

Looking at the Hogwarts Express sitting in front of him, James thought about the summer he had just had. His last few weeks had been action packed, mixed with flying, pestering his parents about the types of magic he would learn, persuading them to show him as many spells as possible and, for the majority of the time, planning the pranks he wanted to do the moment he learned magic. Of course, the pranks could not be specified nor narrowed down until he learnt who his teachers and friends would be. He was sure he would be able to pull some good ones off though. Thinking back to the joke shop, he wondered if the black-haired, grey-eyed boy – _Sirius, was that his name?_ – would be in his house. _He would make a good prank-playing buddy_. _I bet we could come up with all kinds of stuff together._ Imagining all the mischief he could get up to, James turned his attention back to his parents to say his goodbyes.

"Now be good dear, okay? I just know you'll love Hogwarts! We both did!" his mother commented enthusiastically, ruffling her son's hair.

"Don't worry, Mum, I'll be fine! I can't wait to go! Besides, I've got some very good ideas for what _I'll _be doing with magic!" James replied, rather cheekily, a hint of mischief in his eye. His Mum looked slightly worried, but smiled all the same and messed his hair once more before pulling him into a hug. James then turned to his father, who was standing beside his mother with an extreme look of pride in his eyes.

"Okay son, got everything? Good! Now go have some fun, and hit that Quidditch field hard, just like your father did!"

"I will Dad; you know I can't wait to fly!"

"I'm sure you can't, judging by all the Limit-Stressing Marks I found on your broom at home," his mother responded sternly. "You be careful, James Brian Potter!"

"Calm down, Mum! I will. See you at Christmas!" James stretched up to kiss his mother on the cheek and, with a proud slap on the back from his father, hauled his luggage off to find a compartment in the train.

* * *

Sirius stamped into Kings' Cross, muttering furiously under his breath. His father tried to reach for Sirius' shoulder, but Sirius quickly shrugged his hand off and hurried ahead. He hated this; all he wanted to do was the get on that train as quickly as possible and escape his parents and younger brother for awhile. He needed a break from them. _I mean, maybe I shouldn't have gone that extreme, but honestly, Regulus deserved it!_, Sirius thought, remembering the prank he had pulled on his younger brother a few days ago. Just as a final going away treat (after all, Regulus was two years younger than him; they wouldn't be seeing each other often, _thank Merlin!_), Sirius had decided to cheer himself up a bit with a nice healthy prank. Unfortunately, what his family considered funny and what he himself considered funny differed considerably: 

_Sirius sat in his room, bored, counting the days until he could leave for school. Lying down on his bed, his hands behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling, conjuring imaginary lines in his mind to make interesting shapes. He needed something to _do_ to keep himself occupied. Absentmindedly, he started humming a song under his breath until he was interrupted by loud footsteps coming down the hall. _Regulus must be home from his friend's place_, Sirius recalled. _I think I might just have an idea…_The boy chuckled to himself and hurried out to the drawing room, where he knew his mother kept a bunch of magical potions. Opening the cupboard, he found two different potions, which, when separate were perfectly harmless – a cheering potion and a voice-enhancing potion. He looked around for something else, after taking a sneaky glance to the door to make sure no one, particularly yours truly, was spying on him. He hesitated before grabbing the small flask, wondering if this was really such a good idea. After all, to him, the idea of using anything his family worshipped was normally an unforgivable crime. However, these were special circumstances. He took the Dark liquid and snuck back to his bedroom, shoving the bottles under his shirt._

"_Sirius Orion Black, come here this instant!" Sirius' mother's voice shrieked shrilly through the halls, bouncing off the stone walls and resonating throughout the house. _Rather unpleasant voice, really, _Sirius commented to himself. But he couldn't hold back his laughter as he walked into the dining hall and saw the result of his magical mixture. Regulus was doing a ridiculous dance, a graceful ballet with twists and turns and singing at the top of his voice. This was not the funny part, however. That was the look on his parents' faces at the song emitting from Regulus' mouth. Sirius had found the song in a very old book hidden at the back of the Black library, obviously one his Uncle Alphard had loaned them, as in no circumstances would _his _family have owned it. The song told of a young wizard's love for a muggle and their romantic relationship. In it, the wizard renounced his purebloodship and vowed that he would always love the Muggle, no matter what happened. In any other play, the song would have been a dramatic tear-jerker, but in Sirius' house, the disgust and shock on his parents' faces was priceless! To add insult to injury, Regulus' voice had become a high-pitched, girly opera soprano, and he seemed to have no idea he was doing anything wrong. Sirius doubled over laughing as Regulus performed a particularly feminine leap and twirl, his tutu swirling prettily. Unable to stand straight, he ran back out of the room before his parents could say anything to him, listening as Regulus' beautiful soprano drifted down the corridor._

Sirius chuckled again as he remembered the sight of ballerina Regulus, the prank playing over and over as a movie in his mind. He decided it was worth those last days of stony silence and constant chores just for the satisfaction it gave him to defy his parents' shallow beliefs in the Dark Arts and a pureblood nation. He jumped up into the red compartment, only bothering to wave quickly at his father, who was glaring at him rather angrily. All the same, Mr. Black gave a reluctant wave back to his son before turning through the barrier. Sirius gave a large _whoop_ of delight, finally free and totally ready to learn magic.

* * *

Back at the barrier hiding platform 9 ¾ from the Muggle section of the station, a mysterious sight appeared. If one were standing on the Muggle side, a rather chubby backside could be seen, complete but for the head. And so, of course, from the wizarding world's side, a light blonde head was visible surrounded by the red bricks. The head sat there for a full five minutes before the body followed, the eyes wide open in a mixture of fear and awe. Finally, however, Peter Pettigrew entered the domain of wizards and witches all waiting for the Hogwarts Express to depart for its destination. Or, more accurately, perhaps, a large _bump_ to his backside forced him there. Sitting dazed on the ground after his unceremonious entrance, Peter rubbed his head and looked up to identify his culprit. 

"Oy! What'd you think you're -" He began, but shut his mouth very quickly as a menacing sneer met his eyes. The boy standing over him was a good four or five inches taller than him, had a hooked nose and black hair that hung down around his shoulders. Peter decided that this was one kid he didn't want to accost about a small crime.

"Well, chubby, your fat backside was blocking the barrier. I thought you might need a little help. It's a win-win situation after all, isn't it? I pick your guts up and get you into the station and then my path is cleared. Wouldn't want to miss the train now, would we?" the boy smirked. "I'm Snape, by the way. Now, scram! I need to find someone." With that, Snape gave Peter a sharp kick in the ribs and turned to leave.

Peter gave a grunt of pain and watched the figure disappear, strutting along as if he owned the place. Looking around to collect his luggage, a much kinder voice suddenly spoke.

"Hello! Are you alright?" a boy with messy black hair greeted him. "I'm James, I saw you're little incident and thought you might need a hand."

"I – I'm Peter. Peter P-Pettigrew," Peter replied, his voice rather shaky. James noticed this and tried to reassure him.

"Look, that kid's an idiot. Probably going to be a Slytherin by all means. You know about the houses? Right, well you don't want to be in Slytherin. They're all big bullies who run to their mummies the moment you so much as lay a finger on your wand. Don't worry about him."

"Yeah…I guess. Thanks. Have you - do you mind if I come with you to the train? It's just, my parents have left already, they had to be somewhere," Peter asked hesitantly, recovering slowly but surely.

"Sure, Peter – it is Peter, right? C'mon, my friend and I have got a compartment already, let's go!" And with that James grabbed Peter's trunk and made towards the train. Peter followed him, suddenly very cheerful. He had already found a friend! He didn't need to worry; this James would let Peter stay with him. It would be just like in all the fantasies he'd had over the summer, waiting for this day to arrive. _Yes,_ Peter thought, _Hogwarts is going to be great!_

_

* * *

_

Remus looked up at the clock on the station. It read 10:32 in bold, flashing red letters. _Good_, _I still have plenty of time to get organised,_ Remus affirmed. His mother and father were standing behind him, piled up with luggage. With his kitten lying curled round his shoulders, Remus walked towards the blood-red train, slightly apprehensive, but mostly excited. All holidays he had been eagerly anticipating his arrival. Not wanting to appear behind, in irrational fear that someone might guess his condition simply from his lack of knowledge, he had been rapidly reading all his textbooks, memorizing as much information as possible and enthralled by many of the spells they would be learning. His DADA book scared him slightly though; chapter 12 concentrated completely on werewolves. He hoped they wouldn't be studying that chapter for awhile yet. Someone was sure to figure him out; the book was entirely too accurate. Remus cringed when he read some of the descriptions of transformations, the pain as real to him in theory as it was in practice.

Full moon, in fact, had fallen two days before his departure for Hogwarts. This, he felt, was rather lucky, as it meant he would be able to settle into Hogwarts quite fully before having to deal with his lycanthropy. He was more worried than he would like to admit about just how he would disguise his monthly disappearances from his friends – that is, once he made some. That was another worry. If he were to make friends, that would practically be setting himself up for abandonment, wouldn't? _Who would want to be friends with a werewolf? No one so far, that's for sure. I can't tell anyone, but that means figuring out a million different excuses to hide it._ Remus decided he would deal with that when it came to it. Right now, he had to concentrate on the present.

"Remus dear, where would you like to go?" Remus' mother, Lilah, asked, looking at the long Hogwarts Express.

"Um…I don't know…towards the end maybe…hey!" Remus gave a yell of surprise as his kitten, using his head as a trampoline, bounded over him, landed clumsily on the ground and raced off. Remus ran after her, trying to keep the sandy ball of fur in sight amongst the many pairs of feet, wheels and bags rushing this way and that across the station.

"Mocha! Come back here!" Remus stopped and cupped his hands round his mouth. "Mocha! Oh, Mocha!" Yet his little coffee coloured kitten was nowhere to be seen. Unfortunately, a large crowd of lanky teenage boys had just passed in front of him, interrupting his path. Waiting for it to clear, he continued calling, meriting a few strange looks from passers-by.

And then there was air. As the last of the crowd disappeared, Remus walked into the newly made space which was now too empty for his liking. That is, not kitten paws padded across his path.

"Mocha! Where are you, you little rascal!" Remus shook his head, unsure of where to look now. But then a small voice reached his ears.

"Hey, you there! Lost something?" the voice had emerged from a small girl with bright, auburn hair pulled into a ponytail. Her green eyes smiled at Remus as she walked over to him. Remus was relieved to see two clear amber eyes looking at him from in the girl's arms.

"Mocha! There you are!" Remus stepped forward and the cat jumped down and ran towards him, looking rather proud of itself.

"Thanks so much, she just ran off all of a sudden, I don't know what I - well, thanks a lot," Remus said breathlessly, stroking Mocha, who had begun giving herself a bath.

"Your welcome. She's very cute, isn't she? I'm Lily Evans. And you are?"

"Uh…Remus. Remus Lupin."

"Lupin…that's an interesting name…it's from 'lupine', isn't it, meaning -"

"Wolf, yeah, I know." Remus muttered uncomfortably, focusing on Mocha so as to avoid Lily's penetrating eyes.

"Yes, of course you would know…I've always liked wolves. They seem rather majestical, don't they? Well, it was nice to meet you, but I'd better be going now. My mother's over there and she'll throw a fit if I don't get on the train soon. Guess you'd better do the same, huh? I'll see you at Hogwarts then, Remus! Bye, Mocha!" Lily said, squatting down and giving the kitten one last stroke. Mocha meowed up at her and gave her a quick lick on her hand.

"Yeah, thanks again for finding her, Lily. I'll see you at Hogwarts too, nice meeting you!" Remus said, ready to leave. He needed to find his parents again after Mocha's little escapade. The two children shook hands and then left in opposite directions. Remus went back the way he came, looking for his parents.

"Remus! There you are. Honey, don't _do_ that, you scared us!" Lilah raced forward frantically, pulling her son into a hug.

"Sorry Mum, Mocha escaped, I had to go find her. Don't worry, I'm _fine_. I'm going to boarding school now, remember? I'll be fine on my own!" Remus reminded her as her embrace grew threateningly tight.

"Yes dear, I know. Well, we'd better get you on the train now." With that, Remus followed his mother and father towards the far end of the train. With one last goodbye, he climbed up into the carriage. _Well, here goes nothing_, Remus told himself_ I'm off to Hogwarts. I'm off to Hogwarts! You can do this Remus, c'mon._ Mocha finally jumped in front of him and led him into the train. Remus became rather excited now and began to look for a carriage. He was going to Hogwarts! A werewolf, at Hogwarts! Well, Remus decided, Hogwarts wouldn't know what had hit it. Remus was determined to have some fun.


	4. And the Journey Begins

**_A/N: _Oh my god, it's been sooooo long since I've updated! So sorry...I got bogged down with school work and holiday travel and kind of forgot about this. Anyway, I'm back into it again, with a longer chapter than any of my others to make up for it! So, enjoy and please review review review!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own any of the characters. That's all J.K!  
**

* * *

**  
_Chapter 4 - And the Journey Begins…_**

Walking down through compartment after compartment, Remus looked around nervously. Many compartments were already full of excited, chatty students, sharing stories of the holidays or talking about plans for the year to come. In fact, he had never seen so many kids all in one place. Though this was not entirely his fault – his 'illness' had unfortunately called for home-schooling and avoidance of all areas in which he might have had chances to make friends. Not that he hadn't had _any_ friends. There had been one, or two, but they tended to drift away from him, as he avoided becoming too close with them for fear of what might happen.

Finally, Remus found a peaceful compartment near the end of the Hogwarts Express. Mocha hopped down off his shoulders as he heaved his trunk up onto the rack, wandering about the carriage, sniffing and exploring to her heart's content. Collapsing on the cool, red leather seat, Remus closed his eyes in relief, finally allowing his anxiety to ebb away and enjoyment and excitement to replace it. _No use worrying about anything yet,_ Remus reminded himself. At that moment, he heard voices outside and suddenly the door flew open to reveal two boys, one apparently pulling the other. Remus noted the sparkle in the first boy's eyes and thought,_ He's a mischievous one, alright. He looks awfully sure of himself though...wonder if he's a first year?_ Remus had to stop himself from chuckling as the second boy, who was slightly pudgy with light blonde hair, tripped over the entrance to the carriage and grabbed on to his friend, pulling him down and landing on top of him in a heap.

"Oy, Pete! Get off me! What're you doing?" The boy cried, attempting to shove his captor off. Pete, however, seemed to be quite out of it, as he did nothing to help the situation. Unable to hold in his amusement anymore, Remus let out a laugh and stood up.

"Need some help there? I'm Remus Lupin, by the way," he said, offering his hand to the sparkly eyed boy. _Woah, where did that come from?_ _I'm never normally one to draw attention to myself!_ Remus, thought, feeling slightly proud of this fact, if truth be told.

"Thanks! I'm James Potter…and this oaf here is Peter Pettigrew…we only just met, back at the barrier. You a first year too?"

"Yeah. Er…should we just leave him there, or help…?" Remus left off, looking at Peter who was still lying on the floor in an apparent daze.

"Oh, right. Guess we should get him up…OY! PETER! HELLOOOO, EARTH TO PETE!" James yelled nearly in his ear.

"Huh…what's going on...who're you?" Pete sat up, shaking his head.

"James, remember? We just met! And this here's Remmy!" James slapped Remus on the back as he said this, causing him to cough and fall forward with the force.

Going slightly red, Remus regained hold of himself, realizing what James had just called him, and turned to Peter.  
"Remmy??? Actually, Peter, it's Remus. Nice to meet you – you okay?" Remus held his hand out to the confused boy, shooting a glare at James who was currently snickering at his own joke. Noting the look, James quickly stopped and said,

"Sorry…couldn't help it! But you have to admit, it's pretty funny!" James' face looked so genuinely guilty that Remus had to laugh.

"Yeah, I guess. Just don't call me that again, okay? C'mon, I think I hear the trolley, you getting anything? Peter, food's coming. You guys better get your trunks organized."

"Sure, who would miss that load of lollies? Pete, get on up here. So Remus, what's your background?" James started up the conversation, and soon, the three were chatting happily and munching food….well, Remus and James were chatting at least, and Peter, with his mouth full of pasty, frog or some other delight, would occasionally eagerly pop in a comment. Remus once again sat back, happy that he had found a friend at last. _Maybe it won't be quite as hard as I thought,_ he assured himself.

* * *

"Yippee!! Hoorah, hurrah, yip-de-do, I'm free, I'm free, I'm free!" Sirius ran through the train, nearly knocking over kids as he passed and not caring one bit. He was finally on his way, a whole glorious year awaiting him, a whole nine and a half months with no worries or talk of the Black honor, the Black blood, the Black fortune, the Black ancestors, or anything else with the word Black in it…well, unless it was his name of course. Or black treacle pudding. Or a black cat. Or the Sorting Hat. Or…_Stop it, now!_ Sirius chuckled happily, feeling as if he could fly – which, of course he could if only he had a broom. But that was something to look forward to later. Right now, he still needed to find somewhere to sit, he realized as the train started to pull away and he was still flying around like a madman.

_Oh well…I'm allowed to enjoy my freedom!_ At that precise moment, however, the train lurched forward, gaining speed, and Sirius was thrown into the nearest wall. _On the other hand…maybe I'd better find a seat after all. Now you'd think they'd leave enough room for ALL the students on this so-called train! Why the hell are all the compartments full? Dum de dum…I'm free, I'm free…yippee yippee! Ok, gotta stop that. God damnit, where's a bloody seat already?_ Sirius's mind quickly jumped between ecstatic at freedom and annoyance at the seeming lack of seats. Soon though, as he stumbled along, absolutely convinced that he was going to end up on the floor for the rest of the ride, he found the very last compartment mercifully unoccupied – well, compared to the others that is. Only three boys sat in here, with chocolates strewn all over their laps, seat, and floor, chocolate frogs jumping around as a small kitten jumped up in the air trying to catch them. The boys were watching on in amusement while carrying on a light conversation.

Hearing his arrival, the boys turned their heads and looked up at Sirius expectantly until one of them shouted:

"It's Sirius! Hey Sirius, come on over and join us! Seriously!" James jumped up in excitement at having found his partner-in-crime…well, at least he would be once James had had a word with him.

"Jamsie boy! It's you! Got any pranks planned for the start of term? And who're these two?" Sirius recognized his friend from Diagon Alley and quite confidently renewed the friendship.

"This is Remus and Peter. They're both in first year too, obviously. Hey guys, this is Sirius! We met in Diagon Alley in the joke shop. He's a right laugh, he is! You should have seen him up the back of that cow!" Laughing, Sirius came over and punched James in the shoulder, then settled himself down and grabbed one of the chocolate frogs that was jumping around – right from under Mocha's paw. Surprised, Mocha looked around and blinked, as if to say, "Where'd it go?" Remus, watching her amusedly, quickly introduced her and James, not to be left out, let out his Great Horned Owl and introduced him as King.

"Now, what's this about a cow?" Remus asked curiously, not quite sure he wanted to know. Sirius and James burst into a fit of laughing once again, but soon recovered themselves enough to tell the story, which soon had Remus just as helpless.

* * *

A few hours later, James, looking sleepily out the window, caught a glance of something huge out of the corner of his eye before the humungous trees blocked his view again. A few minutes later, the trees subsided once more and a huge castle over a lake was visible. James stared in awe. _Is that Hogwarts? It's huge! Wait'll we explore that! I bet there're heaps of secret passages and places to go and hide and play tricks and cast magic and…wow! I wonder what our rooms are like? _James's mind immediately began to conjure up all sorts of mischievous plans.

Meanwhile, Remus had also spotted the school. _Is that it? It's beautiful! Look at the scenery! My god, how could you even call that school! It's too nice to be that. And look at the lake! It's so black. I wonder what lives in there? I wonder if there are mermen down there? Or maybe a really really giant squid? That would be awesome! Hmmm, where's the Shrieking Shack, I wonder? That is where Dumbledore said I would go to transform. I hope it's better than the stupid old closet I had at home. Ok, not gonna think about that now. But what if something happens? What if someone finds out or catches me or follows me or…what if I hurt someone? NO! Stop it. Ok, wonder what the dorms are like? I hope Mocha's allowed to sleep with me. She's so sweet. And she trusts me…_ As Remus's thoughts carried him away, a shout came from the other side of the carriage, startling him.

"Hogwarts! We're here, we're here, just us students and teachers and magic and pets and food and pranks and NO BLACKS! Yay, it's a huge castle!"

Apparently not everyone decided to think in their head. James and Remus stared at Sirius, amused as he jumped up and down, giddy with eagerness and yelling out all sorts of random things about what he was going to do there.

"And I'll learn how to turn into an animal and I'll be able to sneak up on people and sneak around cause no one'll know it's me. And James, think of all the pranks we can play here! Hey, what do you think would be a funny one to do to a teacher? Oooh, and the kitchens! I bet you that by the end of the first week, I'll have found the entrance to the kitchens! All the food you could ever want…." At this, Sirius' eyes glazed over, obviously imagining all the delicacies he could eat at Hogwarts.

"Sirius, mate, you're drooling!" James told him with a hint of a smile.

"What? Am not!" But he reached up to wipe his face with his sleeve anyway. Remus noticed the smirk on James' face and laughed.

"Shut it, you two! We've got to get into our robes or we'll be late," he reminded them before pulling his trunk down with an "Oops – sorry Mocha!" as it banged down next to her with a horrendous CLANG, sending her flying off the seat in surprise.

Sirius, of all people, thoughtfully reached over and shook Peter, who had fallen asleep sometime ago. The four then found their robes and quickly changed, shoving their old clothes back into their cases just as the train screeched to a halt.

Clambering down the aisles, the foursome looked up in awe as they stood beside the lake, waiting for who knew what.

"What's happening now, anyway?" Remus asked James, who seemed to know more about the school then the rest of them.

"Beats me…but we've gotta cross the lake somehow. I'm gonna guess boats."

Sure enough, a huge voice was soon to be heard calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years, over here please!" The voice belonged to a giant man with thick, coarse black hair and beard and a grin on his face as he looked down at the surprised eyes on the group of kids running towards him.

"I'm Rubeus Hagrid and I'll be escortin' you over to that giant castle yonder!" Pointing behind him, the group stared at the flock of canoe-like boats gliding across the glassy water, propelled as if by an invisible hand. Slowly and carefully, the boats pulled up on the shore at the first years' feet and stopped, ready for their passengers.

"Alright, get on in, now! Four to a boat, tha's right! Hold yer horses, don' push! There's room fer everybody!" Hagrid shepherded his herd. Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter all found a boat and climbed into it.

Remus was amazed already – he hadn't seen magic to this extent before, only the small household spells his parents used at home. Noticing that they weren't yet moving, Remus looked around to see if they were meant to be rowing or something. Just then, though, the boats began to move as if by magic (_of course, they probably are_, Remus reminded himself) and the castle became even bigger than it already seemed as they moved towards it.

Minutes later, the boats came to a smooth halt and everyone scrambled out and stood in front of the huge oak door, ready for their next instructions. Everyone was whispering nervously to each other, as the suspense grew and grew, and no one seemed to know what to expect.

BANG! BANG! The door smashed open and rebounded, revealing a tall, thin woman with dark hair tightly pulled back in a bun, her mouth stretched in a stern line. Sirius knew immediately that she would be one woman on whom they couldn't expect to get away with pranks. That wouldn't stop him from trying though! Peter looked up at her at awe, thinking she must be one fine witch, and Remus stared with what could only be taken as a look of respect and gratitude. James, standing next to him, noticed this look and wondered why he seemed so thankful. In fact, the whole trip, James had sensed that Remus was incredibly happy to be here – of course, they all were, but he seemed even more so, almost as if there were some reason he shouldn't have been. _You know, he was very vague and evasive when I asked him about his background. I wonder…_James shook his head, pushing the thought away and bringing his mind back to the woman in front of him. He, like Sirius, was beginning to think it might be something of a challenge to get away with pranks where this woman was involved! A challenge, of course, only worthy of the best pranksters around. James grinned to himself, determined that he would have some fun this year. Then, she began to speak.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, first years! I am Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration teacher. For the next seven years, this will be your home and your family. You will live in dorms with your fellow students and will be expected to attend meals in the Great Hall with the rest of the school. Once we enter, you will be sorted into your house. The four houses are representative of the four founders of the school. Each, whether it be Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin, has something to teach you and is known for the qualities of its chosen students…" McGonagall continued on, but by this point most of the students were restless, nervous about the sorting which awaited them.

They didn't have to wait long however. A few minutes later, the doors opened again and McGonagall beckoned the students through. Following cautiously in a line, the four friends joined the others, wondering where they would be put.

"I want to be in Gryffindor! Dad and Mum were in it and it sounds awesome. As long as I don't get in Slytherin, though…" James supplied.

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Remus asked. James seemed to be the only one who knew much about the houses, as far as Remus could tell. Peter was clinging on to every word he said, and Sirius was mysteriously silent.

"What's wrong with Slytherin, you ask??? Only the darkest go in that house. Slytherins are known for their cunning and toil. They only watch out for themselves, and almost every witch or wizard who went bad was in that house! Trust me, Remus, you don't want to be in Slytherin."

Remus gulped. _Dark? What other house is going to take a creature of the dark? I'm a werewolf, for Merlin's sake! But I can't go in there, I can't, I can't!_

Not noticing Remus' suddenly ashen expression, James continued on happily, now telling Peter of the joys of Quidditch and the many complicated plays involved.

"Silence, boys and girls! Please line up, your names will be called in alphabetical order. When you hear your name, please walk slowly up to that stool, sit down and place the hat on your head. It is the Sorting Hat and is best suited to decide the house in which you will be most happy." McGonagall instructed them.

The hat suddenly opened up its wide brim and burst into song, surprising many of the first years into giggles. The Hall burst into applause as it finished, then faded back into silence as the first name was called.

"Aarlingford, Rachel!" A petite girl with dark blonde hair wandered forward nervously, hands shaking as she put on the hat. A moment of silence and then –

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. The table on the far left of the first years started clapping. A few wolf-whistles could be heard from the some of the boys at the table.

"Backle, Richard!" was the next name up.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat responded again, provoking applause from the table on the right.

A few more names were called before –

"Black, Sirius!" James turned, surprised, as Sirius strode boldly forward, an oddly determined expression on his face. James, trying to figure out why he was so shocked, realized that he hadn't actually known Sirius' last name before that moment. In fact, the boy hadn't said a single word throughout their whole house discussion and had been curiously vague about his family. Now, the reason was evident. The Blacks were known supporters of the Dark Lord and almost every Black was a Slytherin. The Potters, on the other hand, were fiercely against the rising Voldemort, standing under Dumbledore until the day they died. Gryffindors by house and nature, James' parents had raised in their son a fierce loyalty for their side and told him horror stories of the things that happened to people who crossed over to the Dark. James was mortified to find out his friend was a Black. _He didn't seem at all like what I've heard about them though! How can he be a Black? He's fun…not…not evil! I don't get it!_ James had never been more confused. He thought he had always been a pretty good judge of character – he thought he understood what his parents had been telling him about how to recognize a dark supporter, and now all this had been thrown out the window. Trying to sort his thoughts out, James realized the hat had now been sitting on Sirius' head for a full minute. _Yet another surprise,_ James thought,_ surely it would've called him Slytherin right away? Maybe there's hope after all!_

Meanwhile, in Sirius' head, a heated conversation was occurring. The moment he placed the hat on, it had let out a satisfied shriek:

"_Aaah, another Black! Shall you go into Slytherin like the rest of your family?"_

"_NO! I don't care what you say, I'm not like them,"_ Sirius was defiant.

"_But are you sure? A family as strong as yours…"_

"_No, I've told you…I'm nothing like them, I hate them! They hate me too…I'm not like them, I refuse to go to Slytherin!" _Sirius replied heatedly.

"_Defiant, aren't we? Let me delve a little deeper…hmmm…you know your cousin was sorted just a year ago, Andromeda, isn't it? I had a surprise there, I did! I must say, I fully expected another Slytherin, but no, what do I find? Bravery…courage…a mischievous streak to say the least, but not at all self-centred…in fact, every quality found in a Gryffindor. And yes, there she is, sitting at that table over there, watching you. Oh, she was different alright…nothing like your other family…though apparently…yes what is it I see here…apparently she has a match within the Blacks…you may be right dear Sirius, for what I saw in her is seemingly reflected in you…" _The hat mused.

"_Yes, see, I told you. Even if you do put me in Slytherin, I won't go there. I'm not one of them!"_

"_Let me just make sure…well, if you say so…nice meeting you, Mr Black. And so, one becomes two…_GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius had never been so relieved in his entire life. He had thought for one scary moment there that he would be forced into the house which was the epitome of his family. But no, everything had turned out right in the end, and he strode proudly over the Gryffindor table, throwing a smug stare at the Slytherin table, where his older cousin Bellatrix sat with an expression of disgust on her face. At the Gryffindor table, he saw Andromeda waving frantically at him.

"Rommy! I got in, I got in!" Sirius greeted the girl.

"Yay, Siri, I knew you would! You're just like me. I'm so proud of you!" Andromeda praised him.

Happily, Sirius sat down to enjoy the rest of the sorting, proud to be known by his real character for once, and not simply stigmatized by his rotten name

Back in the line, James stared in shock. So, Sirius had done it after all! James began to regain his confidence in his own judgment. _I knew Sirius couldn't have been one of them! He was way too fun! And now I won't have to lose my new best friend after all. _James smiled over at Remus, who had been feeling much the same. Since hearing the name 'Black', Remus had been thrown into a horrible memoir of thoughts. He stood, face slowly paling. Remus knew of the Black family from one horrible encounter he didn't care to ever experience again…

_Remus was 9 years old and reading a book in his room when he heard a sharp knock on the door downstairs. Wondering who it could possibly be at this late hour, Remus peered around his door, hearing his Dad's voice greet the stranger._

"_Hello? Who's there? What's your – you!" John Lupin had said._

_Remus grew slightly frightened by the tone in his father's voice. It was strict and demanding, with a slight hint of panic behind it. Who could it be to bring out this in his Dad? Remus strained his ears to pick up the voice of the man who answered, and for the first time in his life, thanked his lycanthropy for giving him his sensitive hearing. He was sure a normal boy wouldn't have been able to hear the whisper that crept out of the man's throat._

"_Let me in, Lupin. You know we need to talk. You know it's the best for him." _Him?_ Remus wondered._ Who's him?

"_No,! We won't do it! He's our son, for Merlin's sake! Not some dark creature who you can turn into a slave!" John sounded outright scared now._

"_Think about it, Lupin. Where else is a werewolf going to be accepted? Who else would accept a filthy creature of the dark, too dangerous to mix with his own kind, too scorned to ever be respected? You know I speak the truth, Lupin. It's only a matter of time before he turns. Don't accept my offer now, but you'll be surrendering him to a life of misery which will ultimately end in his demise anyway, if he doesn't turn to us on his own. The Dark Lord can offer him more than you ever can. And we'll find him sometime, Lupin. No matter what it takes,"_ _the stranger replied in a chilling voice._

"_He's not doing it. He'll never turn to you for help! I'm his father and I will die for him if it means keeping him on our side. Even a child would choose him over you…he'll be going to school in few years and he WILL be accepted, Semperum Black. Give my son over to you? Over my dead body! No. And that's my final answer. Do not return. Goodbye, Black!" At that, John slammed the door and retreated into the living room, calling Lilah worriedly._

_Remus couldn't think. His whole body was shaking and his face had gone white. His body felt numb and he couldn't have moved even if he had wanted to. He was a werewolf. A werewolf. The full truth of the man's words hit Remus like a bomb. Who would want him, ever? He loved his father for standing up for him like that, and he knew his father loved him, but the man's words hit chillingly close to home. Who would ever accept a werewolf when the overriding feeling in any human being in his precense would be fear? Fear that Remus would pass on the malady, wouldn't be able to control himself, fear that his lycanthropy was a sign of the evilness inside his body. Remus couldn't understand; he wondered how even his parents put up with him. The sadness came ripping through him like a tidal wave. And suddenly the fear hit tenfold: _what if they come after me? The man said they would find me! What if my family is in danger because of me? _The fear came rushing through like the aftermath of the tsunami and Remus couldn't handle it any longer. He collapsed on the floor in his room, sobs racking his body, shivering in pain and misery, curled up like a lonely wolf cub isolated from its pack_

Remus' shook his head of the memory. It wouldn't do to remind himself of such things now. Sirius' background shouldn't affect him like that…Sirius was his friend, not the enemy. He had been put in Gryffindor, after all, a sure sign that he wasn't like the rest of his family. Still, the slight sense of worry lingered deep in his mind, a dormant monster waiting…waiting. Remus pushed the feeling back as James' nudged him in the side.

"What?" Remus snapped, slightly irritated.

"It's your turn, mate! Go up!" James prodded nervously, thrown by Remus' sudden eruption.

"Oh, sorry…" Remus mumbled embarrassedly. Wandering slowly up, he thought about what house he wanted to be in. _As long as I'm not in Slytherin…_Remus certainly agreed with James on that point.

Pulling the brim down over his eyes, he heard a voice in his head.

"_Aaah, we have a werewolf in our midst, do we?"_ the hat said cunningly.

"_DON'T call me that. Please…I'm not what you think!"_ Remus scared at this sly assertion.

"_Calm down, there, little wolf….how would you know what I think? A label is a label, and nothing more. I've already been accosted once today for that."_

"_Ok…"_ Remus wasn't sure what to make of this hat.

"_Hmmm…there's a fighter in here, I can see. Determined…very loyal. Hmm, brave, once the timidity is overcome…and quite a brain, yes, what intelligence! So, it's Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, you'll be pleased to know. But how to choose between the two? Well, you apparently had quite a response to that, young cub! Don't go biting my head off…okay, it'll be _GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus, for the first time in his life, felt a wave of pride swelling up within him as he walked towards the Gryffindor table, sitting down next to the auburn haired girl he remembered from the station.

"Congratulations, Remus! Isn't Hogwarts great?" she murmured to him.

"Lily, isn't it? Congrats to you to. Yeah, thanks, I'm so glad to be here…" Remus replied, adding silently, _more than you know._

Remus looked up and applauded as he heard Pettigrew, Peter become a Gryffindor as well, and shortly afterwards, Potter, James. Remus was slightly surprised by Peter's sorting. He hadn't struck him as the smartest or bravest of all boys. In fact, if Remus had had to sort him, Peter probably would have gone into Hufflepuff. Not that he wasn't nice of course. Then again, Remus probably would have sorted himself into Slytherin, because of self-shame, or perhaps Ravenclaw had he been able to overcome that and concentrate on his intelligence. So maybe he wasn't the best judge…all the same, Remus was glad Peter had made to Gryffindor with the rest of them and happy for the boy, who was now beaming in excitement. James, of course, hadn't been a shock at all. There could be nowhere else for him!

"Hey, Remmy! Isn't it great, we all made it into the same house! What a surprise!" James whispered to Remus, taking a seat on the other side of him.

"I thought I told you not to call me that! And yeah, it is…great and a surprise! Reckon' we'll be in the same dorm?" Remus answered.

"Dunno…hope so. Guess it depends on how many guys there are in Gryffindor. Hey, you seen Sirius? I want to talk to him…" James asked, scanning the table for his friend.

"Nope, sorry."

At that moment, Dumbledore stood up, simply clapped his hands and said, "Welcome, first years, to the greatest banquet you'll ever have tasted! Enjoy!" Sitting back down and tucking a napkin daintily into the front of his shirt, the magnificent wizard began to eat.

James, Remus, and Peter laughed at this, Peter already with his mouth full of food. Right before James and Remus were about to tuck in, Sirius suddenly appeared, seemingly having popped out of nowhere.

"Hi…do you – do you mind if I sit here? I mean, I don't have to…" Sirius asked nervously. James and Remus were astounded. They didn't know Sirius had it in him to be timid! However, at the same time, a hint of defiance could be detected in his face and James wondered at the combination.

"Of course, mate! Why on earth wouldn't we let you?" James responded loudly. Remus thought he knew what this was about – he had much the same problem, though in a different way, after all. His theory was soon proved true:

"Well, you know…I didn't know, what with me being a Black, and all…" Sirius looked down at the ground as he said this, staring at his feet.

"Merlin, a name's a name, mate! You didn't think we would turn against you because of your name, did you? I mean, ok, maybe if you had become a Slytherin…but then, you made Gryffindor, doesn't that right there say so much about you?" James reassured his friend, standing up and pushing him down into the seat. Remus was quick to agree:

"Sirius, it's your character that matters, not some label! And if some people don't understand that, well…" Remus' voice faded away here and his expression became unreadable. James got an eerie sense that there was something more behind that simple, supportive sentence. But he didn't think much more about it and encouraged Sirius one last time.

"Yeah, Remus is right, Sirius, just eat your food already!" James told him. Sirius grinned, and, with a quick, "Thanks!" began to shovel food in his mouth. James and Remus shook their heads, looking at each other in amusement as they finally set to work consuming as many dishes as possible.


End file.
